Essential Plumbing Winterizing Tips
Essential Plumbing Winterizing Tips for South Texas: Protect Your Home from Freezing Pipes
South Texas is not known for severely cold weather, but the sudden and prolonged cold of Winter Storm Uri is recent enough for Texans to prepare differently than years prior. Since the potential still exists, homeowners still need to prepare for the potential of frozen plumbing. Here are a few plumbing winterizing reminders about specific plumbing weatherproofing to protect your homes.
Most compounds expand when heated and contract when they cool. Water is one of the few substances that expands as it freezes. The crystalline structure of ice pushes the water molecules apart and it happens with incredible force. Water that is trapped inside of pipes will expand and burst even the strongest of pipe material.
Plumbing Winterizing Tip 1: Drain the Hoses
Watering is a necessity during the long, hot summers, so don’t forget to drain hoses and store them for the winter. Leaving a hose filled with water during freezing weather will result in a burst hose.
Frost-proof faucets also provide a measure of protection against freezing weather. The outlet’s shutoff valve is actually inside, in a conditioned space, to prevent the water from freezing. The remaining water in the pipe can drain away to the outside IF the hose has been removed.
Plumbing Winterizing Tip 2: Take Precaution with the Sprinkler System
The ambient temperature of the ground stays warm year-round, but an in-ground sprinkler system is not buried deep enough to take advantage of that warmth. The sprinkler system should have instructions on draining it—either an automatic or manual drainage system. If you have forgotten to drain the system, make sure to do so soon, since cold temperatures are unpredictable.
Sprinkler systems may also have a backflow protector, a valve that prevents potentially tainted water from mixing with household potable water. The valve is usually above ground and, of course, susceptible to freezing temperatures. The valve should also be drained and if it cannot be drained, it needs to be protected.
Plumbing Winterizing Tip 3: Closing the Pool Properly
Closing a pool should happen much earlier than the approach of cold weather; the manufacturer usually provides closure procedures that need to be followed. These procedures will prevent damage from cold weather. If you forgot to close it up, do it quickly, before the arrival of freezing temperatures.
Plumbing Winterizing Tip 4: Home Plumbing Winterizing Protection
Most of the indoor plumbing is contained within the warmth of the conditioned space. However, when water lines run through unconditioned spaces, say under a home, through an attic, or an unheated garage, they are exposed to cold weather.
There are several options to insulate and/or heat these pipes to prevent freezing. Insulation keeps the available heat inside the pipe inside the insulation to keep them from freezing. Heat tape offers a low-level electrical resistance to ensure the pipes stay above freezing.
Should the home lose power during a prolonged period of freezing temperatures, take steps to keep the pipes from freezing.
• Keep the warmth inside the home as much as possible.
• Keep the closet doors open under sinks and doors open for bathrooms and laundry rooms.
• Keep faucets open, just a drip, to keep the water in the pipes moving. Moving water can freeze, but it must be very cold for that to happen.
Leave the Plumbing Winterizing to Doctor Cool & Professor Heat
To protect your home from freezing pipes during cold weather in South Texas, homeowners should drain hoses, winterize sprinkler systems, and properly close pools. Insulating pipes in unconditioned spaces, using heat tape, and keeping faucets dripping can prevent freezing. In case of power outages, it’s important to maintain warmth indoors and keep water moving to avoid costly plumbing damage.
Let Doctor Cool assist with all of your Plumbing Winterizing questions to prevent costly Kemah Plumbing Repairs. Call Doctor Cool & Professor Heat today at 281-338-8751 or email Doctor Cool and let our professional Residential Kemah Plumbing Repairs Contractors assist with all of your plumbing winterizing needs.
